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16 go forward to the Investec Derby

The Investec Derby is staged two weeks tomorrow on Saturday, June 6, and 16 contenders go forward for the premier Classic following today's scratchings deadline. Staged over the famous one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards at Epsom Downs, the Group One contest is Britain's richest race with a prize fund of at least £1.325 million.

Golden Horn (John Gosden) is the current 7/4 favourite for the Investec Derby with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival. He is not currently entered in the Investec Derby but is expected to be added to the line-up at the £75,000 supplementary entry stage on Monday, June 1.

In the Group Two Betfred Dante Stakes at York on May 14, Golden Horn maintained his unbeaten record when getting the better of Jack Hobbs (John Gosden, 6/1), since bought into by Godolphin, and Elm Park (Andrew Balding, 7/1), who both remain engaged in the Investec Derby.

The last three renewals of the Investec Derby have all fallen to horses owned by Coolmore partnerships and trained by Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien. There are four horses going forward from Ballydoyle this year - QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Gleneagles (not quoted by Coral), who is hot favourite for tomorrow's Irish 2,000 Guineas, impressive Group Three Chester Vase scorer Hans Holbein (12/1), Giovanni Canaletto (9/1), who is set to make his seasonal return in Sunday's Group Three Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh, and Listed Lingfield Derby Trial winner Kilimanjaro (16/1).

There has also been some speculation that the Aidan O'Brien-trained filly Found (16/1) may be supplemented for the Investec Derby. A Group One winner last season in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp, the Galileo filly is a declared runner and the favourite in Sunday's Irish 1,000 Guineas. The last filly to run in the Investec Derby was Cape Verdi (9th in 1998) with Nobiliary the latest to be placed when second to Grundy in 1975. Six fillies have won the Investec Derby, although the latest was 99 years ago when Fifinella landed a wartime substitute Derby at Newmarket.

Further Irish interest could also come from Zawraq (Dermot Weld, 9/2), successful on his two starts including the Listed Irish 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on April 12.

Pour Moi, also owned by a Coolmore partnership, was the latest French-trained winner of the Investec Derby in 2011 and Gallic interest this year could come from Epicuris (Criquette Head-Maarek, 20/1), successful in last year's Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud, while Rogue Runner (Andreas Wohler, 50/1) may attempt to become the first German-trained winner of the Investec Derby.

Godolphin's Best Of Times (Saeed bin Suroor, 25/1) could book his ticket to the Investec Derby later today in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood (4.00pm), a race in which Great Glen (Ralph Beckett, 125/1) and Storm The Stars (William Haggas, 40/1) are also set to line up. Prince Gagarin (Ed Dunlop, 50/1), third in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester, has been withdrawn at Goodwood today due to the going but is due to run instead at the Curragh on Sunday in the Gallinule Stakes.

"Once connections confirmed they would supplement their impressive Dante winner for this year's Investec Derby, Golden Horn's position at the head of the ante post betting was assured, while we are also quoting the Aidan O'Brien-trained filly Found at 16/1, with her presence in the race also an intriguing possibility," said Coral's David Stevens.